Unit dose quantities of medicines and other materials have been provided in containers which are opened by breaking away a break-away neck which forms an integral part of the cap. One particular design is shown in Turner et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,739, which describes a container having a break-away neck portion with an integral cap. The cap has a particularly shaped neck portion designed to keep the user from engaging the container itself during break away. The other end of the cap may be used to close the container after break away.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,120 to Larenz et al describes single-use containers which are formed of elastic synthetic resin material. These designs include the measuring of a unit dose when a main chamber is squeezed.
Federighi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,475 discloses a series of closure assemblies of mini-containers which each contain a single application dose. The containers open at one end and sealed by welding once it is filled. A series of products may be assembled during the molding process so as to connect them through fins which have fracturable score lines to facilitate separation as the individual containers are needed.
Each of these containers is capable of providing a unit dose of a vitamin or other pharmaceutical or medicinal product in a convenient and relatively simply manufactured container.
What is not provided by these prior art designs is a unit dose container which can be easily opened by a person with one hand, such as by a mother holding a young baby, without worrying about what has happened to the cap once the break-away portion has been fractured. None of these prior art designs can be operated with one hand so that the cap does not become separated from the container and become a potential hazard to the infant receiving the medication. This is particularly important when a parent is treating very young infants and where the anxiety of the parent is already elevated because of the need for treatment of the infant. Treatment will be much more effective if the parent can be absolutely certain as to the location of the cap at the time the dose is administered and, even, several hours or longer after administering the dosage.
While it is of primary importance to provide a unit dose container with a cap that is captive to the container, it is also important that the cap be a break-away type molded cap for ease of opening. It is also desirable that the tube be easily filled from the other end, such as prior to forming a sealed closure. It would be ideal if the device could be manufactured from a single molded part and that the closure step after filling would also complete the attachment of the cap.